Is it safe to give an app my BT hub password?

[bee2tee]

I suppose that you are right, but I am confused by UbiBot, licquorice, in their description of the item, it says “ WiFi only, no hub required”, so I asked "How does the sensor send data to the Unibot Platform? It says no hub required, but it is the hub that provides the wifi and connects to the internet." their reply was “The device will sync data with UbiBot platform through WiFi. No hub means that no additional hub required. Regards, Tim UbiBot Support". The only other thing that I would say, is that I think that they mean the device to be used with a mobile phone, if that makes any difference?

[licquorice]

I'm not sure what they mean by 'hub', but it is not a home hub or router they mean. The only possible way your device can connect to the cloud is via your WiFi.

[bee2tee]

OK thanks very much for your patience licquorice, sorry to bother you. I originally assumed that the device was acting like a mobile phone in connecting with the cloud.

[WSH]

To put some context on this for you:

A lot of IT phraseology is applied very sloppily in the home market.  For example, there is actually no such thing as “Ethernet cable”.

In this case they may be using the word “hub” in its original meaning.  Hubs were the forerunner of switches.  They were dumb devices that acted just as splitters and caused poor performance as networks got more complicated.  Switches replaced them.  BT (and other ISP’s) use of the word hub is really a corruption, basically just referring to the thing that connects everything else together.

I suspect in this case they mean it communicates by WiFi rather than via cable through a hub/switch.  Of course, it still goes out through the router to reach the Cloud.

[bee2tee]

This guy Tim of UbiBot, I assume is in the US, as he replies to me in the early hours of the morning, maybe they use different terminology too.

[Muffer_2]

As stated in the "Solved" response Yes.
HOWEVER
You should always research the relevant App or device for Trustworthiness / Reviews/ etc............ if in any doubt DECLINE!

[gg30340]

I found the following review about the device:-

"Initial setup was a little awkward. At first my Android phone app would not locate the Ubibot, therefore I could not get the device to join our wifi network. The instruction leaflet was a little lacking in advice, but the Ubibot phone App did pop up an advice box, which you should read thoroughly. It tells you to TURN OFF cellular data and re-start the setup procedure - and behold, the Ubibot does indeed connect to your phone (at this stage it transmits its own wifi network which you then tell your phone to connect to). Once connected, follow on-screen prompts and the device will be connected to your regular home wifi SSID. From this point on the WS1 will ping Ubibot's own server with a status update (once ever 15 minutes is the default setting). Your phone app (or any other internet browser) can then be logged in to Ubibot's web server, and you can view your WS1's data".

I would suggest that you read the instruction that came with the device or that will no doubt be able to be found on the Ubibots website and that you follow the instructions to the letter so that your phone via the app activates and connects to the devices own wifi network and thereafter via the app you connect it to the your home wifi so that it can communicate to the Ubibots servers which will allow you to access the data.  

[Muffer_2]

Very Sage advice but as per my own..... if in doubt Research the app online for reviews including Pro's n Con's and IF IN DOUBT..............DECLINE!

Don't forget! it appears BT Community Forums rate there members by volume of posts rather than actual knowledge?
*i've gone up 3 levels already in barely 3 posts?*

[bee2tee]

Thanks gg30340, I agree with the reviewer although I am not using a phone, the instructions that came with the device are useless and their website is not very helpful either, I cannot get location services to accept the app but am in conversation with UbiBot about it.

Muffer_2, I paid £70 fo this device, so I gotta persevere with it, I spent a long time looking at the reviews before buying the device, and this seemed the most suitable for what I wanted, most of the others were too complicated.

[licquorice]

Sorry, I assumed (obviously wrongly) from your original post that the device was working but you just needed clarification regarding the security implications of entering your SSID and password in order to do so.

A couple of things you can try if you haven't already. Turn off Smart Setup, it causes untold problems.

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/what-is-smart-setup-on-the-bt-hub--how-can-i-turn-it-on-and-off-

Secondly, some devices don't seem to like both wifi frequencies having the same SSID although they can't 'see' the 5Ghz signal. As the bands can't be split on the SH2, temporarily turn off the 5Ghz signal to see if that helps. If it does, once connected the 5Ghz can be switched back on.

I assume you have downloaded the manual https://www.ubibot.com/manuals/785/ubibot-ws1/